Offshore operations in the Arctic and related transport will encounter ice or at least have to be prepared to encounter ice. With developing interest to exploit Arctic resources, shipping industrial goods to and from the Arctic will become frequent. Ships designed to transport project cargoes over the world oceans will now have to enter Arctic areas on the last lap of their voyage. 
Also unloading and re-loading of cargoes in Arctic exposed conditions become a real possibility as many Arctic oil and gas developments are offshore. 
The industry as well as the Arctic Coastal states are increasingly aware of the benefit of risk based engineering and operations design to control the safety of economic activities in the Arctic. 1).
The Arctic is not only an unforgiving environment, but also an environment to preserve and protect from pollutions.

This proposal is to provide a risk based design tool to help industry to prepare for the Arctic environmental conditions (wind, fog, ice, icing) and hence to optimise operations of ships and offshore constructions. Pre-knowledge of workability, risk and limiting conditions will lead to enhanced safety and reduced environmental impact. Industry involved in offshore operations, heavy lift cargo operations and supply will profit from this JIP, but also construction industry, adopting ‘Design for service’.

1) see “Risk in Arctic” - report of the Friedtjof Nansen Institute presented at ONS summit 2012.